In response to the First Ascent section and the new route Buckle Up Spanky…

Let me first say – bolts and vision by Mark. Stolen by Medicine Meirl and I would say that the Cashew fairy had his hand in it as well… What he had his hand in, I will let the readers decide. Thanks for the name boys. It is about time that Perth climbers did just that. Pony up team.

While I’m out here sitting on a rig, I’ll cast out a line and see what fish we can catch…

There are very few out there in the Perth climbing scene putting up new routes and problems. It takes effort and today’s climbing community seems to be content with the feature comforts of a plastic wall and a close by quarry. I read nothing of epics in ROCK, or on this site. Maybe I should write about the day that Emil and I trudged into Millars to bolt those routes. I can guarantee that we were the only climbers in WA, mad enough to be out on the crags as the weather was absolutely foul. I’m not claiming to be a “hard man of WA” climbing. But I will say that I have put considerable time, effort and money into getting out there and seeing what can be climbed around Perth and WA. I can assure readers and climbers alike that there is a mass of unclimbed rock still waiting. A bouldering area like Millars proves this. In fact last weekend a 15m wall of well feature granite was found, and new routes to go. Yes you have to drive 80km to get there. But that is the reason for going climbing. To me it is not a 20min trip to the quarry or the gym to repeat a disturbingly good route. We are not blessed in WA for a wealth of rock both in quality and length. However, good climbing can be had and on real rock. You just have to explore a little.

There is the argument that all climbers climb for different reasons, blah blah blah. But I guess we all climb for a challenge and I personally see none, if you do not at least entertain the idea of getting outdoors and giving it a go. I see many more climbers projecting a 8m plastic route than an 8m route on some great little boulder at crag X. I ask have we gone soft? And I think the answer is yes. Today’s climbers are introduced to a consumer friendly environment where climbing is safe, easily accessible and “fun”. Well if that’s what you are content with, so be it, but climbing can offer you so much more. Grab a rope, buy some gear, ask someone at the gym to take you out, whatever you do get out on real rock.

“Would anyone like a nice cup of camomile tea?”